|
|
|
|
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/16/2009 10:37:39 AM | Oh my gosh A new use for the solar oven. I had a pot that was sooooo burned on that I was pretty certain it was going to have to be trashed. Even though I use baking soda and water to soak off burns, I didn't think this one was salvageable. Well, boy howdy. I'm NEVER going to do this in the house again as long as I live. I sprinkled the soda in the pot, added water and stuck it in the cooker. Set it and forget it style. I didn't use the cooker yesterday and didn't bother to check on the pot because it was doomed anyway, right. So this morning I went out to get it, and everything was crusted white. I figured that was the complete end of it -- I had cooked it to death all the way now. BUT I rinsed it in the house and every single bit of that burnt on stuff came out with no scrubbing of any kind. I always have to scrub like crazy with my ususal method. I guess the baking soda baking into the burnt stuff and both getting to a crust made the difference. NO scrubbing!!! Who knew?? I'd be afraid to boil the pot in the house to the complete baked on state this one reached.
I sure hope we can get some other people interested in this thread. It is such an easy way to conserve energy. | |
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/16/2009 8:11:43 PM | thanks for the invite back in to the fold to discuss a "hot" topic hee hee.
Funny about your pan, but you may be the next Billy Mayes if you keep inventing time saving tricks.
I haven't used my solar cooker this week or so, been on the road. Santa Fe, it was gorgeous. However, I did read a blog about some students who experimented with their cookers. They had a "Lessons Learned" about some of their disaster recipes.
The funniest one was the kid who tried to make rice krispie treats. Started out with mini marshmallows and the cereal and put it in the solar cooker. Came back 4 hours later and it still hadn't melted because the puffed rice acts like an insulator and prohibits enough heat in to melt the marshmallows. hee hee. He said, next time to melt the marshmallows first. It made me think straw bale housing material was probably a pretty good insulating material; maybe rice krispies are the greatest insulator for home improvement projects....... | |
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/18/2009 11:53:58 AM | Goodness earthhugger, sounds like you and I are a lot alike. You should read my profile. I lived in Mt. Pleasant a long while, love it there.
Pistols, I made the Kyoto Oven that won $75,000. It is the coolest thing. I can't wait to share it with a couple of people. I made a slight variation, though. I inserted triangles cardboard cut-outs for the corners of the lid flaps, covered them and taped them on to make a sort of funnel.
This was fun. Have any more cool gagets?
SS   | |
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/19/2009 7:54:50 AM | | Years ago I did a little cooking in a home built solar cooker. It takes a lot of time and patience. It's like cooking in a *very* slow slow cooker. I used it for beans, rice, soup. The beans were iffy, often didn't cook well enough. Didn't stick with it. For one thing, I just wasn't in a good location. In a good location, I'd think any slow cooker recipe ought to work. As for baking - you'd have to experiment. | |
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/19/2009 11:02:25 AM | I would not like to have to depend on it every day with the cloud cover we get MI.
Smiling Salmon, yes we should connect via email. The other cool gadget I have is a smoker, but I haven't pulled it out all summer---it's been too cold.
That being said I love smoked turkey. | |
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/19/2009 2:59:50 PM | Hello earthhugger,
I made an Alton Brown cardboard smoker and it worked great. I would love to do a cold smoke one out of school lockers, but I have to get back into a house for that one. I love ANY smoked meat, but especially chicken, pheasant and turkey. I will send you my email.
SS | |
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/19/2009 3:18:11 PM | I vaguely remember seeing AB showing a solar smoker. Was it very complicated? Can't remember.
You are right -- oh dear, can't remember your name--in the yellow shirt-- solar will not work in every climate. Lots of clouds makes for inconsistent temps. The outside heat isn't the issue ever, (well until you're like way below zero. It's the amount of sunlight getting through period (full stop to you in the UK etc) . I've used it in winter, in the snow even. BUT there was bright, bright clear sunshine.
I don't think it takes any patience really, not much more than a crockpot does. In fact think of it as a solar powered crock pot, wht a little preplanning. You certainly can't use the one I have at the last minute. There are some that get to 500-600 degrees, but mine isn't that type. You just stick the stuff in and every once in a while (as in hours later) check to see that the sun is still hitting it full on. Once you get the hang of where to set it up, you don't even have to bother to check it. But again, that's where you have clear sunny skies. I wouldn't even try it in, for example, Indiana. When I lived there I think I saw the sun for a total of 3 weeks each year. It was just an overcast climate where I lived. But for those of us in sunny climates, it is a great and fun tool.
SS and Earthhugger me too on the smoking. I have the smoker but don't have the hang of it. I miss Texas BBQ!!! EH SS has my email (don't you?) | |
|
| SOLAR COOKING
Posted: 7/19/2009 5:04:13 PM | Hey there Pistols,
I regret to say that I left it here (your email), thinking it would stay a long time and never transfered to my regular email account, then they started deleting everything here that is more thn 2 weeks old, so no, I no longer have it. I will send you mine. I am terrible about getting emails transfered over.
The smoker I made was not solar. Is there a solar smoker too???????? TOO DANG COOL!
I want to make one, for sure and I have not yet used the Kyoto oven I made, in fact, I loaned it to a friend to copy. I am not sure what temp it cooks at. Where do I get plans to make one that cooks at 500-600? That is like speedo for foods that can handle it, flash roasting LOL
Here in Mich, depending on the season, we have very sunny and some very overcast days, but hey, at heating prices, any savings is wonderful.
EDIT: I keep trying to think of a community event or fundraiser I can incorprate making these things with and then I would make T-shirts for me and another lady that likes making stuff that say...
<div class='quote'>McGiver isn't my patron saint for nothing...Alton Brown
And on the back write... Alton Brown is my Patron Saint!
We go to an Episcopal Church, so it works well! | |
|
|
|
Home
login 
